An identikit image of the attacker, which was put together this week, was released to The Standard in the hope of finding the man, who is alleged to have stalked the girl over a two-hour period last month. The 15-year-old girl set out from near the Harbour Pavilion about 2pm on October 7, intending to walk along the popular promenade to the Warrnambool cemetery to visit her grandmother’s grave, police said.

Detective Senior Con-stable Leigh Wheatley of Warrnambool police’s sexual offences and child abuse investigation team said the teenager was walking alone when she noticed the man following her and “got spooked”.

“The male was making weird noises, and laughing, and whistling at her,” the detective explained.

He said the girl took a detour and met up with a friend at the Warrnambool skate park and waited for about an hour before continuing her journey along the promenade.

The girl then spotted the same man again and somewhere between the Warrnambool Surf Club and the Flume attempted to hide in bushes, but was seen by the stalker.

“The male grabbed her by the leg and attempted to pull her out,” Detective Senior Constable Wheatley said.

The attacker didn’t say anything during the incident and the girl was able to escape without being harmed or assaulted.

The male is described as approximately 50 years of age and 165-170cm tall. He has a thin build and a tanned complexion, with greying black wavy shoulder-length hair and a similarly coloured beard.

On the day in question he is believed to have been wearing a black baseball cap with a red symbol on it, black sunglasses, an orange T-shirt, blue jeans, black boots and a black polar fleece jumper.

Detective Senior Constable Wheatley said that although the attack was in broad daylight in the middle of the afternoon, there “weren’t too many people around”, but police hope someone might have seen the man on the promenade or elsewhere.

Anyone with any information should contact the sexual offences and child abuse investigation team at the Warrnambool police station on 5560 1180.